Christmas by Candlelight

Friday, December 6; Saturday, December 7; Sunday, December 8; Friday, December 13; Saturday, December 14; Sunday, December 15; Friday, December 20; Saturday, December 21; Sunday, December 22; Monday, December 23; Friday, December 27; Saturday, December 28; Sunday, December 29

Times:
Open 3:00 - 8:00 pm. In order to focus on the evening holiday events, Old Sturbridge Village will be closed during the day from December 2 - 29, 2019

Cost: Check Back in the Fall For More Information

In the Village

Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village is an evening filled with New England holiday traditions, live musical performances, storytelling, sleigh rides, festive foods, a roaring bonfire, and strolls around the decorated Village Common. Do not miss the nightly tree lighting and the ever-popular gingerbread house contest!

Check Back in the fall for more information about Christmas by Candlelight 2019!

Highlights of Christmas by Candlelight Include:

Old Sturbridge Village's town common decorated for the holidays

The Village Common and the buildings around it are transformed into a magical, picturesque nod to Christmases past. Decorations feature twinkling lights, glowing candles, fresh evergreen garlands and wreaths, and a 40 foot Village Christmas tree. Rooms in the Salem Towne House show Christmas decorations like that of the 1830s, 1850s, and 1870s. The Parsonage decorations are inspired by A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Explore these buildings and more during your visit.

Don’t miss the nightly tree lighting ceremony!

Taking a horse-drawn ride around the Common

Christmas through the 1800s in the Salem Towne House

Ghost of Christmas Present in the Parsonage

Costumed Historians prepare Christmas Dinner like the one that the Cratchit family enjoyed in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Music

Music is a key part of the holiday season. Throughout Christmas by Candlelight, Victorian carolers will stroll around the Village Common singing traditional carols and guest choirs and bands will perform in the Center Meetinghouse. A list of acts will be posted closer to the time.

Victorian carolers performing at Christmas by Candlelight

Old Sturbridge Singers perform in the Center Meetinghouse

Guests participating in a carol sing-a-long

North Pole Village

Gallery Row at Old Sturbridge Village will be transformed into North Pole Village, a place of bustling activities for adults and kids alike!

Stroll through a giant The Night Before Christmas storybook – illustrated by Charles Santore – as you make your way to meet Santa and his elves

View the expanded model train display constructed by the Worcester Model Railroaders. This year, the display will feature some trains from the movie Joy.

See an expansive miniature train display, including trains originally seen in the movie Joy

Nativity

The miniature nativity is a favorite Christmas by Candlelight tradition. The intrinsic details are an awe-inspiring and moving sight to see for both children and adults alike. The nativity scene displayed at Christmas by Candlelight depicts the different parts of the Biblical narrative, all the way from the annunciation to the shepherds watching their flocks by night. The scene is a unique hybrid of an Italianate motif and early 19th-century New England themes. The current display has well over 500 individual pieces made out of carved and painted Styrofoam. You can view this spectacular scene in the Friends Meeting House during Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village

To learn more about how the nativity scene came to Christmas by Candlelight, click here.

The Nativity Scene is located in the Friends Meetinghouse

The carefully designed details of the scene will take your breath away

Holiday Traditions Recreated

Learn about cherished holiday traditions, including roasting chestnuts, yule logs, mistletoe, and more! Also, be sure to check out demonstrations of period holiday baking and cider mulling, as well as tin-making, pottery and 19th-century printing.

Guests get to see demonstrations like mulling cider the old-fashioned way and taste the sweet results!

See how decorations like Christmas trees, garlands, and more evolved during the 19th century

A Roaring Bonfire

Warm up and relax by the large bonfire on the center common. Carolers will periodically sing favorite carols nearby.

Guests relaxing by the bonfire

Gingerbread House Contest

The annual Gingerbread House Contest is one of the most popular events at Christmas by Candlelight! Create and register your own gingerbread house in one of several categories or simply view the creative handiwork of others when you visit the Village during Christmas by Candlelight. Judges pick the category winners (see below) and visitors vote for the “Best in Show.”

Categories:

Adult Non-Professional
Adult Professional
Youth
Family

2018 Winners:

Official Rules:

To enter Old Sturbridge Village’s 2018 Gingerbread Contest, entry forms must be received no later than November 23, 2018.

Entries must be delivered to the Visitors Center at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA on November 27, 28 or 29 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Entries must be made entirely of edible materials with the exception of the foundation board. No electric lights or additions are allowed!

Foundation boards must be no larger than 24″ x 24″ and should be made of sturdy 1/4″ plywood; foundation boards can be covered with paper, foil or edible material.

All entries will be on display during Old Sturbridge Village’s Christmas by Candlelight program beginning November 30, 2018 and concluding December 23, 2018.

Entries can be picked up at the Village after Christmas by Candlelight concludes but on or before December 30. Unclaimed entries become the property of the Village, and will be destroyed.

Old Sturbridge Village is not responsible for damaged or broken gingerbread houses, and will not maintain or repair entries.

Guest judges will choose category winners, and Christmas by Candlelight attendees will select the guest favorite.

Readings of Classic Stories

Enjoy readings of classic stories such as The Night Before Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Visit from Saint Nicholas. There will also be readings of “The Nativity Gospel of Saint Luke” and “The Nativity Gospel of Saint Matthew.”

Sleigh rides (weather permitting)

Enjoy a horse-drawn wagon or sleigh ride (depending on the weather) around the Village Common.

Sit back and ride in a horse-drawn wagon or sleigh

Tickets

Check back in the fall for more information!

Old Sturbridge Village rarely closes due to weather but if a snow storm does hit and makes travel hazardous, the Village will close for however long as necessary. Any notice of the museum closing due to weather will be posted on the Old Sturbridge Village Facebook page, Twitter, and the main website (on this page and the homepage). If you cannot attend on the date you originally intended on visiting, you may apply your ticket to a later date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if it snows?

Old Sturbridge Village rarely closes due to weather but if a snow storm does hit and makes travel hazardous, the Village will close for however long as necessary. Any notice of the museum closing due to weather will be posted on the Old Sturbridge Village Facebook page, Twitter, and the main website (on this page and the homepage). If you cannot attend on the date you originally intended on visiting, you may apply your ticket to a later date.

Standard tickets are good for any one of the following dates: November 30 or December 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 20, 21, or 23.

Prime tickets are good for any one date of Christmas by Candlelight, 2018: November 30 or December 1-2, 7-9, 14-16, and 20-23.

If you have pre-purchased standard tickets at the early-bird rates but are ultimately only able to come on a Saturday night, you will need to pay the difference in price upon arrival. No exceptions will be made and the difference will be based on the price of purchasing tickets for a Saturday night ticket at the door.

Are there discounts for Christmas by Candlelight tickets?

As they say, the early bird gets the worm!

Village Members receive 50% off on all Standard Christmas by Candlelight tickets purchased through October 31, 2018. Members receive 25% off all Standard Christmas by Candlelight tickets purchased November 1 – Thanksgiving (November 22, 2018).

Members may purchase tickets for non-member family and friends at the member rate.

If you have pre-purchased standard tickets at the early-bird rates but are ultimately only able to come on a Saturday night, you will need to pay the difference in price upon arrival. No exceptions will be made and the difference will be based on the price of purchasing tickets for a Saturday night ticket at the door.

Discounts that apply to daytime museum admission do NOT apply to Christmas by Candlelight.

What food options will be available during Christmas by Candlelight?

Old Sturbridge Village offers both full-meal dining experiences (reservations required, see links below for more information) and opportunities to purchase sweets, warm drinks, and other snacks during Christmas by Candlelight.

Where do I park?

Free parking is available in the main parking lot at Old Sturbridge Village.

Who should I contact if someone in my party has special needs or a question?

Contact Old Sturbridge Village’s Visitor Center at 800-733-1830.

What should I wear?

While many Christmas by Candlelight activities take place indoors, there is plenty of walking outside between buildings. We suggest dressing in layers appropriate for the weather.

Is Old Sturbridge Village open during the day?

In order to focus on the evening holiday events, Old Sturbridge Village will be closed during the day from November 30 – December 23, 2018. The Village will be open December 27-30 from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. The Village will be closed December 24-26.